ANAHEIM, Calif., Dec. 17, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Next year marks the beginning of 'The Gathering', Ireland's yearlong celebration of culture and tradition, and Trafalgar (www.trafalgar.com) invites travelers from across America to join in the festivities. With over 70 million people around the world claiming Irish ancestry, Ireland is dubbing 2013 as 'The Gathering', a party for the people, kicking off with an unforgettable New Year's Eve bash in Dublin and continuing throughout the year with the country's major festivals and clan gatherings. American travelers can join the celebration with Trafalgar, the Insider of guided vacations, as they offer 9 trips heading to the culture-rich Emerald Isle. Whether an immigrant or a new traveler to Ireland, Trafalgar guests will see Ireland from the inside, as they interact with locals and enjoy exclusive Be My Guest dining experiences and Local Specialties.
Travelers can save up to 10% by booking any of Trafalgar's 2013 Ireland trips before December 27th, 2012.*
Scenic Ireland
The 9-day Scenic Ireland was introduced in 2012 as a new At Leisure itinerary, quickly becoming a popular choice for travellers. With a focus on taking clients to the most picturesque parts of the country, Scenic Ireland offers up the perfect opportunity to explore the Irish countryside at a relaxed pace. The trip starts with a few days in lively Dublin, where guests will receive a morning tour with a local guide then enjoy a day of free time to explore the city by themselves with a hop-on-hop-off sightseeing ticket. Next, a visit to Blarney Castle means guests can get the Irish gift of gab as they tilt themselves upside down to kiss the infamous Blarney Stone. At the breathtaking Dingle Peninsula, Europe's most westerly point, Trafalgar passengers are treated to a special Be My Guest dinner on a beautiful family-owned farm, where they will dine with locals and savour traditional Irish fare. Traveling on to Killaloe on Lough Derg, clients will finish their journey with a Guinness stew and soda bread cooking demonstration, which they'll get to enjoy afterwards.
Irish Experience
On the 12-day Irish Experience trip, Trafalgar guests get to see all of the Emerald Isle as they visit Northern Ireland and spend nights in Londonderry and Belfast. Beginning and ending in Dublin, the trip also stops at Ballina, Galway, Killarney and Waterford along the way. This itinerary is chock-full of incredible insider experiences, from a visit to the new Titanic Belfast Visitor Centre to learn about the history of the world's most famous ship to zipping around Belfast in a Black Cab with a Local Expert 'Cabbie'. In Waterford, clients will get an opportunity to visit the iconic House of Waterford Crystal to watch master craftsmen at work. In Dublin, a day spent sightseeing with a Local Guide is followed by an evening cruise along the city's 200-year-old Grand Canal. Guests will also get to appreciate the country's natural beauty with a visit to the Giant's Causeway, an area of 40,000 interlocking basalt columns on the northern shore that has been deemed a UNESCO World Heritage Site and which Trafalgar is involved in the preservation of through their parent company's Treadright Foundation.
Best of Ireland
An 11-day journey to the most interesting and picturesque parts of the country, Trafalgar's Best of Ireland trip is a comfortably-paced vacation starting and ending in Dublin. The trip makes overnight stops in Sligo, Limerick, Killarney and Cork, as well as day stops in Blarney, Kilkenny, Galway and the Cliffs of Moher to name a few. Following a Welcome Reception with a traditional Irish meal and drinks in a pub, guests spent the next day seeing the sights in Dublin and visiting the Guinness Storehouse for an included tour of the famous brewery before exploring the city on their own. On the journey to Cork, guests stop at the Irish National Stud farm, dedicated to rearing world-class thoroughbreds. It's all sightseeing and marveling in the beauty of the Emerald Isle for the next few days, spending two nights in Killarney and two in Sligo before heading back to Dublin for a Farewell Dinner with wine at a local restaurant with fellow travelers.
"Ireland has long been a popular destination for Trafalgar passengers, with many Americans having strong familial ties to the country or having emigrated themselves," says Paul Wiseman, President of Trafalgar USA. "With 2013 being the year of 'The Gathering, it's a perfect time for travelers to book with Trafalgar and save big with our Early Payment Discount, setting them up to explore Ireland as a local with the original insider of guided vacations."
For more information, please contact your local Travel Agent, call 866-544-4434 or visit www.trafalgar.com. Follow Trafalgar on Twitter at @TrafalgarTalk or @TrafalgarUSA and check us out on Facebook.
*Save up to 10% is based on Trafalgar's Early Payment Discount when full payment is received by December 27, 2012. Early Payment Discount savings will vary by itinerary and is not valid on all vacations and/or departure dates – visit www.trafalgar.com for valid dates and savings amounts. Sample savings is based on Trafalgar's Grand Italian Experience itinerary departing 9/5/13. Discount is not valid with other promotional offers, but may be combined with most brochure discounts. Subject to availability and offer may be withdrawn at any time without notice. Other conditions apply. CST#2077132-20
About Trafalgar: Trafalgar is the world's leading guided vacation company offering exceptional quality and value itineraries to a range of exciting destinations. With some 65 years of experience and unrivaled local expertise, Trafalgar provides an authentic insider's view to create truly unique travel experiences in Europe, Britain and Eastern Mediterranean, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand, China, Mexico, Central and South America, USA and Canada.
2007 to 2011: Winner, Best International Tour Operator, Travel Weekly Readers' Choice Awards
2010, 2011, 2012: Winner, Best Tour Operator, Europe, TravelAge West WAVE Awards
2010, 2011: Winner, Travel Weekly Gold Magellan Awards
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